Calculating machine



Dec. 22, 1942. c. M. FRIDEN ETAL CALCULATING MACHINE Filed July 4, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Dec. 22, 1942. r c. M. FRIDEN ET AL 2,306,247

CALCULATING MACHINE Filed July 4, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 (4?1 M. PEP/DEN JOhA/ L. MOQOY ATTORNEY (3. M. FRIDEN ETAL CALCULATING MACHINE Filed July 4, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS CA'EZ M. FE/DEN JOHN A. M0007 4, m2 Wat ATTORNEY Dec.22,1942. M FmDEN A 2,306,247

CALCULATING MACHINE Filed July 4, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS CAEA M. FIE/05M JOHN 1.. MOODY ATTORN EY Patented Dec. 22, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CALCULATING MACHINE Carl M. Friden and John L. Moody, Oakland, Calif., assignors to Friden Calculating-Machine 00., Inc., a corporation of California Application July 4, 1939, Serial No. 282,767 13 Claims. 235-138) This invention relates to calculating machines and is concerned more particularly with the provision of improved tens transfer mechanism for increasing the transfer capacity of a machine.

It is a general object of the invention to provide improved tens transfer mechanism for calculating machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tens transfer mechanism which can be readily incorporated to provide extra transferring orders on a machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tens transfer mechanism which is rapid in its operation and which positively eliminates overthrow.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved transfer mechanism having quiet operating characteristics.

Another object of the invention is to provide a calculating machine embodying combined tens transfer mechanism, a portion of which is of the cyclic power-operated type, and another portion of which is of the non-cyclic springactuated power restored type.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be noted in connection with the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the rear portion of the machine with a part of the actuating means broken away to show the transfer mechanism. The view is taken in the plane of line |--I in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear portion of the machine with the carriage removed.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken as indicated by the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the transfer mechanism taken in the plane of line 44 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the transfer mechanism during a phase of its operation in which one spring-actuated transfer is completed and the next is partially completed.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional elevation taken in the plane of line 6-6 in Fig. 3 with certain parts omitted to simplify the view.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the carriage taken as indicated by the line 1-l in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the latch for actuator.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of one actuated transfer actuators.

As stated above, the present invention is shown as embodied in a calculating machine of the Thomas type, as shown for example in the copending application ofCarl M. Friden, Serial No. 724,482, filed May 8, 1934. Generally a machine a transfer of the springof this type includes a body in which the selecting, actuating and transfer actuating mechanisms are mounted and a shiftable register carriage, which also supports a part of the trans fer mechanism.

In the ca culating machine selected for purposes of illustration, the body of the calculating machine includes side frame plate l0 (Figs. .1 and 2) from which a plurality of transverse brackets l2, l3 and I4 extend to a similar side plate (not shown) at the opposite or right-hand side of the machine as viewed from the front. The side plates are carried by a suitable base (not shown) in the usual manner. Brackets II and I4 support rollers IS on which register carriage I1 is mounted for endwise shifting movement under control of any suitable means.

Carriage |l (Fig. 1) has frame IS in which a numeral wheel shaft I9 for each order of the register is journaled. At its upper end each shaft l9 carries numeral wheel 2| having the digits from zero to 9 inscribed thereon in the conven tional manner, and at its lower end carries ten tooth numeral wheel gear 22. Intermediate its ends, each shaft l9 carries ten tooth ratchet gear 23 with which spring urged ball 24 cooperates to maintain numeral wheel 2| in adjusted position. Shaft l9 also carries resetting gear 25 for cooperation with suitable resetting means not shown.

Numeral wheels 2| (Fig. 1) are rotatable in either direction to register positive and negative values and for this purpose gear 22 has associated therewith a pair of opposed bevel gears 26, 21 formed at the ends of spool 28. The shifted positions of gears 26, 2! are controlled by transversely extending strap 29 positioned between each pair of gears 26, 21 of the various orders of the machine. Strap 29 may be mounted in a convenient manner as by one or more arms for movement forwardly and rearwardly of its central neutral position shown in Fig. 1 to engage gears 26 or 21 with numeral wheel gears 22. Thus, if gears 26 are engaged with gears 22, positive actuation of the associated numeral wheels 2| will occur, and, conversely if gears 22 are engaged with gears 21, negative actuation ofnumeral wheels 2| is determined.

From the above description, it is seen that any increment of movement of a spool 28 will be transmitted to the associated numeral wheel 2| if either of gears 26 or 2.1 is placed in active position.

Means are provided in the various orders of the machine to determine the number of increments of such movement. For this purpose a bank of numeral keys 3| (Fig. 1) ,is provided for each order of the machine, only apart of one of such banks is shownin Fig. 1. The numeral keys 3| of each bank of the machine cooperate with a pair of differential value selecting slides 32, 33 which are mounted for endwise shifting movement and are providedlwith cam surfaces of varying inclination to be set differentially in accordance with the value of the depressed numeral key. At their rearward ends, slides 32, 33 (Fig. 1) carry respective ten tooth gears 34, 35 which cooperate respectively with the two sets of stepped teeth 36, 31 on an actuating cylinder 38 of the digitation actuating mechanism.

Gears 34, 35 are mounted for sliding movement on square shaft 39 having its front end journalled in bracket l3 and extending rearwardly through bracket I2 and spool 28, and having its rear end journalled in bracket Teeth 38 cooperate wtih gear 34 in their relatively adjusted positions to determine movement of shaft 39 for from six to nine increments, while teeth 31 and gear 35 cooperate to determine movement of shaft 39 for from one to five increments. A pair of cylinders 38 are mounted on each actuating shaft 4| for a pair of adjacent orders, the respective actuating shafts 39 of such adjacent orders being spaced to either side and above the associated actuating shaft 4| as clearly seen in Fig. 3. Each actuating shaft 4| is journalled in brackets l3 and 69 and at its front end has a bevel gear connection 42 (Fig. 1) with transverse shaft 43. Shaft 43 has its ends journalled in respective side plates and is driven cyclically from a suitable source of power such as an electric motor, or a hand crank. In the embodiment shown, one cycle of operation is effected by one rotation of shaft 43. Thus, for each rotation of shaft 43, shafts 4| and cylinders 38 also have a single rotation to cause registration of the number selected by the depressed numeral keys 31 on the associated numeral wheels 2|.

Means are provided for preventing overthrow of the numeral wheels at the end of an actuation thereof and for this purpose the two sets of stepped teeth 36, 31 (Fig. 1) of each cylinder 38 are located with their last active teeth in alignment and there is associated with each shaft 39, a Geneva wheel 46 (Figs. 1 and 3) mounted thereon for rotation therewith, and associated with each Geneva wheel 46 is a looking disc 41 on an actuating shaft 4! and having a recessed portion 48 extending around its periphery for a distance corresponding to the distance occupied by teeth 36 on the associated cylinder 38. Each Geneva wheel 46 (Fig. 4) has ten concave faces for cooperation with the associated disc 41 so that for each increment of movement imparted to shaft 39 and Geneva wheel 46 by one of teeth 35 or 31, one of the faces is positioned for cooperation with associated disc 41. The trailing edge of recessed portion 48 moves into engagement with Geneva wheel 46 immediately after the last active tooth of teeth 36, 31 has actuated one of gears 34 or 35 so that the associated shaft 39 and, consequently, the associated numeral wheel 2|, are positively locked against further rotation. To center shaft 39 and Geneva wheel 46 in position after movement thereof, shaft 39 carries ten tooth ratchet gear 49 (Fig. 1) adjacent frame bracket H which has spring-pressed ball 59 mounted therein for cooperation with gear 49.

Each pair of locking discs 41 for adjacent orders of the machine are mounted on actuating shaft 4| in axially offset relation, in the same manner and for the same purpose as the similar mounting of the associated actuating cylinders 38.

Cyclically operable transfer mechanism of conventional construction is provided for cooperation with the actuating cylinders described above and generally such transfer mechanism comprises tripping means associated with each numeral wheel, except that of highest order, for enabling a drive connection from a transfer actuator to the numeral wheel of next higher order, so that such next higher order numeral wheel receives one increment of movement when the numeral wheel of lower order passes from 9 to 0 or 0 to 9. The sign character of the transferred increment is determined in the same manner as the sign character of the digitation increments.

To effect the tripping of a transfer, each numeral wheel shaft |9 (Figs. 1 and 7) is provided with single tooth gear 5| immediately below carriage frame l8 for cooperation with tripping lever 52, pivoted at 53 in frame l8 and yieldably held therein by spring-pressed ball 54 engaging a slightly off-center seat in pivot 53. Lever 52 has extension 55 (Fig. 7) positioned in the path of single tooth gear 5| of one order, so that when the numeral wheel passes from 9 to 0 or 0 to 9, extension 55 is engaged by the tooth of gear 5| and lever 52 is rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. '7, the limit of such movement being determined by the engagement of face 55a of extension 55 with the next adjacent tripping lever 52. The clockwise rocking is against the urgency of spring-pressed ball 54 which yieldably maintains the lever in the position shown in Fig. 7.

Lever 52 is also provided with arm 56 extending into the next higher order of the machine and normally engaging lever 52 of such order adjacent to its pivot 53. Arm 56 has bent end 51 (Fig. 1) which extends downwardly and engages rearwardly of annular flange 58 of gear hub 59. Hub 59 carries transfer gear 6| and is slidably mounted on shaft 39 so that rocking movement of tripping lever 52 results in shifting hub 59 and gear 6| forwardly of the machine to position gear 6| in operative relation with respect to the transfer actuator therefor. Single tooth cyclic transfer actuator 62 (Figs. 1 and 4) for gear BI is suitably mounted with actuator 62a of the adjacent lower order by locking discs 41. To enable movement of shaft 39 by operation of actuator 62 and to prevent overthrow thereafter, each locking disc 4': is provided with a transfer notch 63 (Fig. 3) spaced from recessed portion 48 by an interposed solid portion 64 of disc 41.

From the above description it is seen that each time a transfer is determined in one order of the machine, gear 6| of the next higher order is moved into active position to be subsequently operated by the associated transfer actuator 62.

Means are provided for resiliently maintaining gear 6| in either shifted position thereof and associated with such maintaining means is a restoring cam, which operates with each pair of adjacent gears 6|. Gear hub 59 (Fig. 1) has a second annular flange 66 which extends between spaced annular flanges 61 of shaft 68, which is slidably mounted in transverse member 69 secured on bracket l2 and spaced therefrom, and transverse member 1| spaced from member 69 and suitably supported on the frame of the machine. Shaft 68 is suitably maintained resiliently in either shifted position thereof. It will be noted that when gear 6| is moved to operative position the forward end of shaft 68 will project beyond member 69 and into the path of restoring cam 12 (Figs. 1 and 4) preferably formed integrally with actuator 82a of each pair of associated transfer actuators. It will be seen that the successive pairs of actuators 82, 83a on the remaining actuating shafts 4| are spaced apart an angular distance to provide for successive operation of the transfer actuators from the lowest to the highest order.

The above described mechanism is all of conventional construction being described and claimed in the co-pending application of Carl M. Friden, Serial No. 75,307, filed April 20, 1936. Usually, one or more extra transfer orders of the character described above are provided in orders which do not have any digitation actuation associated therewith. However, the number of such orders which can be utilized in a 360 cycle is limited, and the present invention is concerned with provision of additional extra transfer orders which are of a character to extend the transfer capacity of the machine without requiring the same amount of time in the cycle as the cyclically timed transfer mechanism of the type described above.

The non-cyclic transfer mechanism comprises generally a spring-urged latched transfer actu ator in each order and means associated therewith for tripping the latch to enable the transfer operation, and for subsequently restoring the actuator to restrained position by power. The restoring operation is preferably ffected during the first part of the next cycle of operation.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the two left-hand or highest order spools 28 are mounted on square shafts 15 similar in all respects to shafts 39, but ending at bracket l2.

Each shaft 15 (Figs. 3, 4 and 6) carries a tentooth ratchet gear 18 for receiving transferred increments, and has associated therewith centering pawl 11 pivoted on stud '18 on brackets l2 and 89, and urged into engagement with gear 18 by spring 19. Springs 19 are tensioned between respective centralizing pawls I1 and levers 83 and 84, respectively. Respective gears 16 (Fig. 4) also have associated therewith respective actuating pawls 8| pivoted at 82 on respective levers 83, 84 and urged by respective springs 88 against respective stop pins 81 on actuating levers 83 and 84. Levers 83 and 84 are pivoted on studs 18 and are similar except that lever 83 is provided with lower arm 88 for a purpose later described.

Levers 83 and 84 (Fig. 4) are urged in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 4) by respective springs 89 tensioned between respective ears 9| thereof and studs 92 on bracket I2. The operative movement of levers 83 and 84 under the urgency of their springs 89 is prevented by respective spring-urged latch pawls 93 (Figs. 2 and 3) pivoted by studs 84 on bracket I2 and having latch arms 98 for engagement with upper ends 91 of levers 83 and 84. Pawls 83 also have bent ends 98 on one arm for engagement by respective springs 99 also connected to studs 94. Thus, levers 83 and 84 are latched normally in inactive position. v

To release the latches, each pawl 93 (Fig. 2) has curved arm |8| for cooperation with an aligned end 51 of the transfer lever 52 of next lower order. Thus, when such lower order numeral wheel passes from 9 to 0, or 8 to 9. latch 83 is moved to inactive position and lever 83 (for example) is free to move under the influence of its spring 89, so that pawl 8| will move the associated gear 18 one tooth spacing. The extent of throw of pawls 8| is determined by respective stop extensions I82 of levers 83 and 84 engaging against respective studs 92. Clockwise movement of either of levers 83 and 84 serves to relieve the tension of the associated spring 19 and thereby efl'ects release of the associated centralizing pawl TI.

Referring to Fig. 4 it will be noted that the .rounded end of pawl 8| is cooperatively related to the point of the cooperating tooth of ratchet gear I8 so that during the initial movement of the gear the pointed end of pawl 8| is inactive and the gear is being actuated at its greatest radius. As the movement proceeds the line of contact between the pawl and the gear tooth moves radially inward until the pointed pawl end engages the base of the tooth as shown with right-hand pawl 8| in Fig. 5. Thus, the actuation of gear I8 starts rapidly and slows down gradually until the movement is completed as shown with left-hand pawl 8| in Fig. 5. Pawls 8| also act to prevent overthrow in the position of left-hand pawl 8| in Fig. 5.

After transfer operation of levers 83 and 84 and pawls 8| thereon, power driven restoring means becomes operative during the first part of the next cycle of operation to restore the levers to inactive position. For this purpose, cam I88 (Fig. 3) is mounted on left-most shaft 4| for operative engagement with roller I81 at the end of arm 88 of lever 83 so that lever 83 will be moved by cam I88 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to its latched position shown in Fig. 4. To also restore lever 84, lever 83 (Fig. 3) carries pin I88 on which one end of link I89 is pivoted, while the other end of link I89 is slotted at 8 to engage pin III on lever 84. During restoring movement of levers 83 and 84, pawls 8| yield and ride back over the next active teeth of respective gears 16 which are held against retrograde movement by the ends of respective centering pawls T! which are engaged behind the related teeth of gears 16. Because of the slot 8, lever 83 can be released for transferring movement without affecting lever 84.

We claim:

1. In a calculating machine, a series of ordinal numeral wheels, power-operated cyclic transfer actuating mechanism for certain orders of said numeral wheels, spring-actuated non-cyclic transfer actuating means for others of said numeral wheels, and means, controlled by said cyclic transfer mechanism for causing operation of said non-cyclic transfer means, said numeral wheels being mounted for linear ordinal shifting movement with respect to said actuating mechanism and said actuating means.

2. In a calculating machine, a series of ordinal numeral wheels, power-operated cyclic transfer actuating mechanism for certain orders of said numeral wheels, spring-actuated non-cyclic transfer actuating means for others of said numeral wheels, means controlled by said cyclic transfer mechanism for causing operation of said non-cyclic transfer means, and means driven in time with said cyclic transfer mechanism for restoring said non-cyclic transfer means to inactive position, said numeral wheels being mounted for linear ordinal shifting movement with respect to said actuating mechanism and said actuating means.

3. In a calculating machine having a series of ordinal numeral wheels and ordinal digitation actuating means for association with the lower order numeral wheels, cyclic transfer actuating mechanism asociated with at least all of said lower order numeral wheels, and spring-actuated non-cyclic transfer actuating means associated with orders of sait numeral wheels higher than said lower orders, said numeral wheels being mounted for linear ordinal shifting movement with respect to said actuating mechanism and said actuating means.

4. In a calculating machine having a series of ordinal numeral wheels, plus-minus gears for selectively transmitting positive and negative increments of movement to said wheels, and a series of ordinal shafts for transmitting increments to said gears; cyclically operable transfer actuating mechanism associated with certain of said shafts, and spring-actuated transfer actuating means associated with the next higher order shaft than said certain shafts, said numeral wheels being mounted for linear ordinal shifting movement with respect to said actuating mechanism and said actuating means.

5. In a'calculating machine, a pair of adjacent numeral wheels, means associated with the lower order wheel for tripping a transfer; a transfer actuator for association with said wheel of higher order, spring means urging said actuator to actuate said higher order wheel, a latch normally restraining movement of said actuator and controlled by said transfer tripping means, and means for restoring said actuator into operative engagement with said latch.

6. In a calculating machine, numeral wheels, a spring actuated transfer mechanism operable between an adjacent pair of siad wheels, a ratchet wheel actuated by said transfer mechanism, centralizing means for holding said ratchet wheel in transferring position, means for restoring said transfer mechanism to actuating position, and means for rendering said ratchet centralizing means substantially ineffective with actuation of said transferring mechanism.

7. In a calculating machine, a vertical bracket, a horizontal increment transmitting shaft journ'alled'on said bracket and extending outwardly therefrom, a ratchet wheel on said shaft and having a driving connection therewith, a transfer actuating lever pivoted on said bracket about an axis parallel to the shaft axis, an actuating pawl pivoted on said actuating lever about a horizontal axis and having its movable end disposed for engagement with the teeth of said ratchet wheel, a stop on said actuating lever, and a spring urging sai pawl against said step, a sec- 'ond spring urging said lever in a direction to move said pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel to effect a one-step movement thereof, a latch pivotally mounted on said bracket about a vertical axis and having a portion operatively engaging said lever to restrain movement thereof under the urgency of said second spring, and means for oscillating said latch to release said actuating lever.

8. In a calculating machine, a bracket, an increment transmitting shaft journalled on said bracket and extending outwardly therefrom, a ratchet wheel on said shaft, a transfer actuating lever pivoted on said bracket about an axis parallel to the shaft axis, an actuating pawl movably mounted n said actuating lever, a spring urging said lever in a direction to move said pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel, a latch mounted on said bracket and restraining said actuating lever, and a centralizer movably mounted on said bracket for movement in a direction parallel to the movement of said actuating lever and a spring connected to said actuating lever and to said centralizer to control said centralizer for centralizing engagement with said ratchet wheel when said actuating lever is in its latched position.

9. In a calculating machine, a bracket, an increment transmitting shaft journalled on said bracket and extending outwardly therefrom, a ratchet wheel on said shaft, a transfer actuating lever pivoted on said bracket about an axis parallel to the shaft axis, an actuating pawl movably mounted on said actuating lever, a spring urging said lever in a direction to move said pawl into engagement with said ratchet wheel, a latch mounted on said bracket and restraining said actuating lever, a centralizing lever pivotally mounted upon an axis coincident with the axis of the transfer actuating lever and having its end disposed for engagement with the teeth of said ratchet wheel opposed to said actuating lever and a spring connecting said actuating and centralizing lever.

10. In a calculating machine, an increment transmitt ng member, spring actuated transfer mechanism for imparting an increment movement to said member, a latch for holding said transfer mechanism in inoperative position, a centralizer associated with said member, and means controlled by said transfer mechanism for urging said centralizer to operative position.

11. In a calculating machine, a series of numeral wheels, a plurality of spring actuated normally latched transfer units for a plurality of adjacent orders of said numeral wheels, said numeral wheels being mounted for linear ordinal shifting movement relative to said transfer units, means shiftable with said numeral wheels for selectively enabling said units under control of said numeral wheels to effect transfer of increments from one wheel to the next higher order wheel, and means common to said transfer units for restoring any unlatched units to latched condition.

12. In a calculating machine, numeral wheels, a spring-actuated transfer actuating mechanism operable between an adjacent pair of said wheels, said mechanism including a ratchet wheel and a pawl disposed for actuating said ratchet wheel, said ratchet and said pawl being constructed and arranged whereby an end portion of said pawl spaced from the point thereof is disposed for initial engagement with a point of a tooth of said ratchet wheel whereby greater starting leverage is obtained upon initial engagement of said pawl with said wheel and whereby subsequently the point of engagement between the tooth of the ratchet wheel and the pawl is changed until the point ofthe pawl is seated at the base of the tooth at the end of the actuating operation.

13. In a calculating machine, a series of ordinal numeral wheels, power-operated cyclic transfer mechanism for certain orders of said numeral wheels, spring-actuated non-cyclic transfer actuating means for others of said numeral wheels, said numeral wheels being mounted for ordinal shifting movement with respect to said transfer actuating mechanism and means, and a series of transfer tripping elements mounted for shifting movement with said numeral wheels and operable thereby to control both said transfer actuating mechanism and said transfer actuating means.

CARL M. FRIDEN.

JOHN L. MOODY. 

